Let the artists paint

Now and then, we turn this space over to guest bloggers, who share their wisdom and advice. Mary Kohler is president of The H&H Group, a printing, sign-making and marketing support company that we have partnered with for several years. Mary writes about “doing what you do best.”

You are very smart about your business, probably even passionate. You might even be “the expert” at what you do. You are certainly better at it than most people. Imagine if everyone had the same interests. Wouldn’t that be boring? Fortunately we all have different interests, talents and areas of expertise. And you are good at what you do. Being good at what you do doesn’t mean you are good at marketing though, unless what you are good at is marketing.

More and more people attempt to do their own marketing because software, technology, and the internet have given everyone who has access to a computer and the internet the tools to do some rudimentary marketing. Unfortunately, that has resulted in a lot of bad marketing out there. Though I think people have the right intentions, their outcomes often are off the mark.

But I digress.

If you want to use the software, technology and the internet to do your marketing, you are kind of like me picking up a paint brush and a canvas and trying to paint a masterpiece. I promise you that I cannot paint a masterpiece. I know my limits, plus that creative gene missed my generation and my daughter got it. If I practice a lot, I might become decent at painting. But that is not what I do. I do all the other work that I choose to do and love to do or … have to do… day in and day out, and painting is not one of my things. So I am not likely to become a master painter.

So what about your marketing? Are you a master marketer? If so, keep marketing. If not, please keep in mind that there is help – expert, creative, professional help – out in the world to do your marketing well. Let the artists paint and let the marketers market.